Azad Championship Report - Underdog Danny Garcia upsets Amir Khan

Danny Garcia’s studier chin proved to be the difference as he stopped Amir Khan in the fourth round at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. With the victory, unbeaten Garcia defended his WBC title and also took Khan’s WBA title and the vacant Ring Magazine belt.

The win catapulted Garcia (24-0, 15 KOs) to the top of the super lightweight division while sending the heavily favored Khan (26-3, 18 KOs) into career crisis.

Khan came out aggressively in the first round. He bounced a few jabs off Garcia’s face. His first right hand connected, sending Garcia back a step. Khan kept up the pressure. He lanced Garcia with two more hard right hands. Garcia landed a right of his own at the end of a very entertaining first round.

Azad Championship Report

In round two, Khan continued his onslaught. Two more right hands connected. A solid left hook sliced open a cut over Garcia’s right eye. Garcia, blinking away the blood, landed a right. Khan fired another hard combination at the bell as the crowd roared.

The hard hitting action continued in round three. Khan was hitting Garcia with ease, but the iron chinned WBC champion refused to wilt. Khan connected with another combo, but Garcia countered with two rights of his own. Garcia bullied Khan into the ropes and worked the body. Khan maneuvered the action back to the center of the ring, but soon regretted it. Garcia’s counter left hook crashed off the the neck area of Khan, sending the 6-1 favorite collapsing to the canvas. Khan beat the count, but staggered his brain woozy and scrambled. He needed to survive for ten seconds and did, just barely.

At the bell for round four, Garcia jumped on the backpedaling Khan. A right glanced of Khan‘s head, causing his left glove to touch the canvas. Khan’s head was clearing but not enough to buy him more time. He stood toe to toe with Garcia. He even landed a hard right hand, but the punch had no effect on his tough as nails foe. A Garcia left bounced off Khan’s head sending the former champion down for the third time. He got up and nodded that he was ok, but referee Kenny Bayless disagreed, stopping the contest.

The time was 2:59 of round four.

“I feel great. I always knew I had it in me.” said the thrilled Garcia in the ring. “I knew Amir Khan would bring out the best in me. I knew he would come out fast”

“It just wasn’t my night,” said the dejected Khan. “I made some mistakes in there.”